4 Ab Exercises to Make Your Six Pack Pop

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Tired of crunches, leg lifts, and planks? We are too. It’s time to spice things up. The summer isn’t over just yet. It’s time to get those abs popping with a routine that won’t bore you to death. The secret to an exciting ab routine is to add some weights.

Here are four weighted ab exercises to make your six pack pop. If you’re feeling overly ambitious, try to do them in order.

Cable Crunches 

Equipment needed: cables and rope

1. After placing a rope attachment on the cable, kneel below the cable
2. Hold onto the rope attachment and lower the rope behind your head or directly in front of you (as shown)
3. Without moving your hips, flex your waist and contract your abs while you pull down
4. Slowly return to your starting position

Hanging Leg Raises 

Equipment needed: a high bar (and weights)

1. Grasp and hang from a high bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-length overhand grip or rest your arms in holders (as shown above)
2. Then raise your legs until your torso makes a 90-degree angle with your legs
3. Exhale while lifting your legs and slowly inhale while you lower your legs to the starting position

(Note: this exercise is advanced, only add weights when you have mastered the technique)

Decline Medicine Ball Throw 

Equipment needed: medicine ball, decline bench, and partner

1. Lie down on a decline bench with a partner in front of you
2. Catch the pass from your partner and perform a controlled sit-up
3. Throw back the ball to your buddy once you’ve returned to the top of your sit-up position

Medicine Ball Rotational Wall Throws 

Equipment needed: medicine ball and wall (brick)

1. Standing next to a wall, place your feet shoulder-width apart
2. With a medicine ball in both hands, extend your arms in front of you 
3. Keep your abs tight and rotate your torso away from the wall
4. With a burst of energy, rotate your torso toward the wall and throw the ball as hard as you can
5. Catch the ball as it rebounds